Elvis History Blog

Elvis 1957—it was the pivotal year in the career of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll. His popularity solidified and his path in the entertainment business for the next decade was determined. Rather than continue the TV bookings and grueling concert appearances (143 shows in 79 cities) that had propelled Elvis to the top of the entertainment world in 1956, his manager used a new set of priorities to guide Presley’s career in 1957.

Colonel Parker has been vilified by Presley fans through the years for steering the star’s career in the wrong direction. However, Parker’s career-changing strategy in 1957 was based on his client’s wishes. Elvis's dream was to be a serious Hollywood actor.

In 1956 Presley had signed two multi-picture Hollywood contracts, and when Twentieth Century Fox released Love Me Tender nationwide in November 1956, Elvis called making the movie “the biggest thrill of my life.”

While Presley still acknowledged the thrill of live performances, he was beginning to complain about the lack of sleep and the physical dangers posed by zealous fans during his hectic road schedule. In addition, as exciting as being on stage could be, Elvis realized that his music had become meaningless during personal appearances. The exhilaration of being on stage was still there for Elvis, but the feeling of artistic accomplishment had disappeared.

It was risky to abandon the proven precepts of success, but in the end the strategy of converting Elvis 1956 into Elvis 1957 put the singer’s career firmly on the track both Presley and Parker wanted. By the end of 1957, Elvis was more popular than ever, allowing his career to withstand his two-year absence from the spotlight while in the army. The links below explore Elvis’s life and career in 1957, the most important year in his career. — Alan Hanson